DREAM Weekly Email: October 27-November 2, 2019

​DREAM Weekly Email, Disability and Higher Education in the News: October 27-November 2, 2019
From DREAM: Disability Rights, Education, Activism, and Mentoring
 
Sponsored by the National Center for College Students with Disabilities and the Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD)
 
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Just a reminder: the DREAM Weekly Email just has highlights from the news – to access the full version:

• Read the attached Word document (with active links)
• Read the news online with searchable archives at https://www.dreamcollegedisability.org/this-weeks-news-in-disability-and-higher-education

 
Having trouble accessing an article?  Check with your campus library or reach out to us and we’ll try to help! ([email protected])
 
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Disability and higher education in the news (in no particular order):
 
* The Hechinger Report published two in-depth articles about inclusive higher education:

• Wondering what inclusive higher education is about?  This article explains it, and how its helping students with intellectual disabilities: https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/54652/helping-students-with-intellectual-disabilities-conquer-college
• Many inclusive higher education programs will run out money in 2020, unless Congress reauthorizes the Higher Education Act that funds them: https://hechingerreport.org/helping-students-with-intellectual-disabilities-conquer-college/

 
* More colleges and universities are caught between state medical marijuana laws and federal prohibitions on what is still viewed as an illegal drug: https://www.messenger-inquirer.com/features/perspective/colleges-face-lawsuits-for-saying-no-to-medical-pot/article_4a3c0083-721d-5da0-beaf-32fcbeba2115.html
 
* Colleges are closing in California as wildfires rage; the LA Times published recommendations for handling poor air quality, smoke, and ash, especially if you have any respiratory conditions: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-10-28/air-quality-getty-fire-california-smoke
 
* A student had a grand mal seizure in class, and suddenly a young professor realized how much he didn’t know about handling emergencies, priorities of the university in training new instructors, his students, and being a teacher: https://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2019/10/29/what-crisis-taught-young-professor-about-his-authority-classroom-opinion?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=28e96d50f3-WNU_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-28e96d50f3-225808461&mc_cid=28e96d50f3&mc_eid=d5645fe552
 
* A new Ohio College2Careers program will help 15 state universities hire full-time vocational rehabilitation counselors to help students with disabilities finish their degrees and find jobs: https://www.wfmj.com/story/41238933/new-counselor-helps-ysu-students-with-disabilities-get-diplomas-jobs (a full list of campuses is available at https://ood.ohio.gov/Students-14/Ohio-College2Careers)
 
* Place-kicker Brayden Narveson looked for a college that would support him as an athlete with Type I diabetes who wears an insulin pump, and now Iowa State is doing just that: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/iowa-state/randy-peterson/2019/10/30/iowa-states-brayden-narveson-balances-football-type-1-diabetic/2497921001/
 
* The University of California is under pressure to eliminate SAT and ACT admission requirements, with several groups threatening to sue, saying the tests discriminate against “disabled, low-income, and underrepresented minority students”: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2019-10-29/california-groups-demand-uc-drop-the-sat-saying-they-illegally-discriminate-against-disadvantaged-students and https://www.educationdive.com/news/groups-demand-UC-system-end-SAT-ACT-requirement/566100/
 
* With a background in farming, Missouri State University student Jackie Newman has proposed a series of projects to make the agriculture department and gardens more accessible to wheelchair users: http://www.the-standard.org/life/advocating-for-accessibility/article_40c4bb84-f9ee-11e9-a17f-278aa525521a.html
 
* Tim Nugent created a “ground-breaking” program for students with disabilities at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign that became the “birthplace of …the disability rights movement”; he will be posthumously inducted into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame: https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/804043
 
* For some students, having a roommate with an emotional support animal is causing more emotional stress: https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article236491013.html
 
* Boston College has set up ABLED@BC, a group for faculty and staff members with disabilities to meet each other and work toward inclusion on campus: https://bcheights.com/2019/10/23/new-affinity-group-abled-at-bc/
 
* In the UK, 208 autistic students from a local college (i.e., advanced high school) are part of an inclusive higher education program at Swansea University (video is captioned but not audio described): https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-wales-50213850/autism-and-student-life-i-never-used-to-go-clubbing
 
* Julia Scolapio of Florida has received a Fulbright U.S. Student Program award that will support time in Ecuador studying disability studies: https://www.staugustine.com/lifestyle/20191029/julia-scolapio-receives-fulbright-award
 
* A colleague with cancer couldn’t accept donated vacation time; now non-tenured faculty protestors at the University of Iowa are asking for more sick leave and options if they face a serious illness: https://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/2019/10/29/university-of-iowa-faculty-protesters-appeal-faculty-senate-sick-leave-benefits/2495622001/ https://bcheights.com/2019/10/23/new-affinity-group-abled-at-bc/
 
* Mental health concerns may seem overwhelming to colleges – here are few ways for administrators to address the issues, with examples from campuses that have found a way forward: https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2019/10/29/students-mental-health-shouldnt-be-responsibility-campus-counseling-centers-alone?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=28e96d50f3-WNU_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-28e96d50f3-225808461&mc_cid=28e96d50f3&mc_eid=d5645fe552
 
* Several University of Illinois student veterans with disabilities are profiled in a special report by The News-Gazette: https://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/military/special-report-veterans-caregivers-learning-to-cope-with-traumatic-brain/article_c5e0be06-5751-5a18-9206-b50fdf319d59.html
 
* A study by economists found that when kids with mild to moderate disabilities lost special education supports, they were 52% less likely to graduate from high school and 38% less likely to go to college: https://www.the74million.org/article/texas-kids-denied-special-ed-supports-52-less-likely-to-graduate-hs-38-less-likely-to-go-to-college-shocking-new-study-finds/
 
* Vivian Meehan died last week at age 94; in 1974, her daughter returned home from college weighing 68 pounds and Meehan couldn’t find information about eating disorders, so she set up the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD): https://chicago.suntimes.com/2019/10/25/20929228/vivian-meehan-obituary-anorexia-eating-disorders-highland-park-nurse-founder-anad
 
* The “Access Urbana-Champaign” website was created by a University of Illinois professor and her students to give people with disabilities information about accessibility of 117 local restaurants may be: https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/803967
 
* College student Camryn Garrett has written a new novel about being a sex-positive teenager of color with HIV: https://madamenoire.com/1110047/camryn-garrett-full-disclosure-sex-positive/
 
* Students advocated for the relocation of the Office of Student Disability Services, and Johns Hopkins University listened: https://hub.jhu.edu/2019/10/29/new-student-disability-services-office/
 
* Boston College student Alexander Urtula died from suicide after his abusive girlfriend Inyoung You encouraged him to kill himself; she has been charged with involuntary manslaughter: https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/28/us/boston-college-student-suicide-charges/index.html
 
* On the field, Carlos Becker is a football player for Florida State University, and off the field he is an ASL tutor using his native language as a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults): http://www.thefamuanonline.com/2019/10/29/fsus-becker-a-bridge-to-deaf-community/
 
* Neurodiverse trick-or-treaters carry a blue bucket for candy, and some of those with blue buckets may be college students: https://www.paisano-online.com/opinion-articles/trick-or-treating-for-all/
 
* Ellen Blunson is the Disabled Students’ Liberation officer at the University of Edinburgh, and she wrote a manifesto to demand better access and safety for university students: http://www.studentnewspaper.org/in-conversation-with-disabled-students-liberation-officer-ellen-blunsdon/
 
* The New School professor Nadina LaSpina talks about how being an immigrant, her new book, and civil disobedience as a disability activist: https://truthout.org/articles/our-lives-are-not-tragedies-a-conversation-on-disability-rights/
 
* Panteha Abareshi has an exhibit at USC called “HIPAA VIOLATION,” exploring different aspects of chronic illness, race, gender, and mental illness: https://dailytrojan.com/2019/10/29/roski-artist-details-experience-with-illness-in-new-exhibit/
 
* Dr. Paul Wehman received $8.8 million in grants to support employment of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including funds to support more inclusive higher education programming: https://rvahub.com/2019/10/30/vcu-receives-8-8m-to-support-employment-of-people-with-intellectual-and-developmental-disabilities/
 
* A student with ADHD angrily vents about trying to survive college with ADHD and how bad things can get, but acknowledges there are resources out there to help – students with ADHD just have to reach out: http://udreview.com/opinion-every-month-is-mental-health-awareness-month-when-your-time-blind/
 
* The NCAA is supporting college athletes in talking about mental health and receiving support, instead of fostering existing “tough it out” culture: https://www.chronicle.com/article/College-Athletes-Push-for-More/247444?utm_source=at&utm_medium=en&cid=at&source=ams&sourceId=4079424
 
* Dyslexic student Sydney Rhead thought a college degree was too much for her, but she pursued her dreams anyway and is now attending Penn State: https://news.psu.edu/story/595519/2019/10/29/academics/student-didn%E2%80%99t-let-her-disability-stop-her-attending-her-dream
 
* Accessible virtual reality is becoming a reality at the University of Illinois: https://dailyillini.com/news/2019/10/31/virtual-reality-remains-inaccessible-for-students-with-disabilities/
 
* Attendance policies can vary at the University of North Carolina, but students are paying the price when they need to be absent from class: https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2019/10/absence-policy-1029
 
* Niagara University is finding many ways to work on disability, including new courses, hosting the 2020 Special Olympics, and doing disability training for first responders: https://www.wnypapers.com/news/article/current/2019/10/29/138928/niagara-university-highlights-yearlong-disability-awareness-work
 
* California State-Fullerton hosted its fourth annual Disability Awareness Day (https://www.ocregister.com/2019/10/30/csufs-disability-awareness-day-celebrates-diversity-and-accomplishments/) with booths including the Abled Advocators student group (https://www.ocregister.com/2019/10/30/csufs-abled-advocators-a-voice-for-students-with-disabilities/)
 
* Dental schools are adjusting their curriculum to address new standards requiring all students to learn about caring for people with disabilities: https://www.ksat.com/news/news-at-9/local-dental-school-taking-steps-to-serve-people-with-special-needs
 
* Only 45% of buildings are wheelchair accessible at the University of Southern Maine, causing frustrations for students, as well as administrators trying to improve things: http://usmfreepress.org/2019/10/28/campus-buildings-not-meeting-accessibility-standards/
 
* A professor at Grand Rapids Community College was arrested for manslaughter in the death of his 16-year old son with autism, who was also allegedly abused and neglected: https://thedigitalwise.com/2019/10/29/a-professor-arrested-after-his-son-with-autism-drowns-in-pool-charged-with-manslaughter/
 
 
A Few Other Items of Possible Interest:
 
* TV series Pose has won numerous awards for its depiction of the New York City ballroom cultures scene and how queer and trans POC characters deal with the HIV/AIDS epidemic, but it took 150 tries to find support for it:  https://www.binghamton.edu/news/story/2113/steven-canals-details-the-journey-to-pose
 
* Singer Yungblud’s music reflects emo, rock, hip-hop, and ska, but also his ADHD, depression, and anxiety: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-50067199
 
* Yay!  Apple has new disability emojis!  “Not so fast,” says one mom who isn’t happy about it: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2019/10/31/apples-new-emojis-include-disability-related-symbols-im-not-thrilled/
 
* Gaming studio Ninja Theory created Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice to address mental illness, and now they’re creating a new project to help gamers respond to their own mental health issues: https://www.engadget.com/2019/10/29/ninja-theory-insight-project-mental-health/
 
* What is neurodiversity, anyway?  John Elder Robison has Asperger’s and he explains the term and controversies about using it: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/my-life-aspergers/201910/is-autism-becoming-neurodiversity
 
* The Fix lists 6 movies that portray depression and mental illness in “realistic” ways – do you agree with the reviews? (film trailers not captioned or audio described): https://www.thefix.com/movies-about-mental-health-depression
 
* Journalist Robyn Wilder’s ADHD affected her at work and in a number of other ways, from sensory overloads to being a shopaholic, but she wasn’t diagnosed until age 42: https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/life/undiagnosed-adhd-672439
 
* After November 1, people with eating disorders who use Medicare will be able to get more sessions with mental health professionals and dieticians: https://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/eating-disorders-medicare-mental-health-help/11655606
 
* Hip-hop artist Andre “Doctor Dre” Brown talks about having Type 2 diabetes and vision loss, as well as his Visually Can Foundation (video has no captions or audio description): https://www.vibe.com/2019/10/doctor-dre-diabetes-partial-vision
 
* Many Indigenous people with PTSD may actually have betrayal trauma, says a researcher at Australian National University: https://www.smh.com.au/national/ptsd-diagnoses-for-indigenous-australians-needs-a-rethink-expert-says-20191029-p5357y.html
 
* Facebook algorithms asked Amy Gaeta about mobility aids one week and hearing aids the next – how advertising deals with “disability” says a lot about society: https://onezero.medium.com/do-algorithms-know-your-body-better-than-you-2f1c7d241144
 
* More Democratic presidential candidates are providing sign language interpreters on the campaign trail: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2019/10/28/presidential-candidates-using-more-sign-language-interpreters-in-2019/4066278002/
 
* Employment rates and other economic indicators “continue to soften” for people with disabilities in the U.S., says the monthly nTIDE report: https://researchondisability.org/home/ntide/ntide-news-item/2019/11/01/ntide-october-2019-jobs-report-job-gains-wane-for-americans-with-disabilities
 
* In the job search, biases against autistic people and against women can make it harder for neurodiverse women to find jobs, says autistic lawyer Haley Moss: https://www.fastcompany.com/90424650/too-often-neurodiverse-hiring-efforts-overlook-female-job-seekers
 
 
 
 
For more information about DREAM or AHEAD contact Wendy Harbour ([email protected]).
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By the way, please don't presume DREAM, the National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD), AHEAD, or the U.S. Department of Education agree with or support everything in these links we send out - we're just passing along the information so you can form your own opinions.  Thanks.
 
DREAM and the NCCSD are funded by a grant to AHEAD from the U.S. Department of Education (P116D150005).